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enAnalysed: How the Top 100 has changed over a decade - and why the Premier League is perfectAsFourFourTwomarks its 10th edition of the Top 100, Huw Davies looks at how it reflects the ways in which football has changed over the years and the occasions when we embarrassed ourselvesHuw Davieshttp://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/analysed-how-top-100-has-changed-over-a-decade-and-why-premier-league-perfect
“Yet another in the ever-lengthening line of New Maradonas, Aguero joined Atletico Madrid for €25m last summer and, quite frankly, failed. Yet amid the gloom, there were occasional signs of his talent.”
That’s what we wrote about Sergio Aguero in the autumn of 2007. The 19-year-old was placed 96th in the first instalment of FourFourTwo’s 100 Best Players in the World, just above Jamie Carragher. One place ahead of Aguero, at No.95, was another future Manchester City forward. If anyone’s seen Nery Castillo lately, do let us know.
Our point isn’t that things change – we all know that. It’s how they change that's fascinating. For instance, this year’s shift in the American political landscape is very different to the one that occurred in 2008. While the FFT100 doesn’t carry quite the same planet-ending potential – although it’s occasionally apparent that some readers would disagree – we too have seen interesting cultural shifts, reflected in nine years of listing the world’s best footballers.
Players have been feted, slated and eviscerated. Upstart superclubs have emerged before falling away again, existing only in the tired routines of a bad comedian (“Remember Anzhi Makhachkala? What was that about?”). Whole leagues have flourished and floundered. And as JFK once said, nations may rise and fall but you can never write off Lionel Messi.
So as the FFT100 reaches its 10th edition, we reveal how it's mirrored trends of Germany’s ascent, England’s collapse and more besides – plus, of course, the times we cocked up. You have to give the people what they want.
Aguero, by the way, rose from No.96 in 2007 to No.8 in 2008. It remains the biggest ever year-on-year improvement, after we wrote in 2007: “This could be his season.” Sometimes we get it right.
When England ruled the world
In September 2007, England were kings of football. That’s apparently what we thought, at any rate. Our countdown of Planet Earth’s 100 best players included 13 Englishmen, the most of any nation, with more than half of them taking up residence in the Top 30. There was bunting on the streets. Grown men wept with pride. Everyone was excited.
Two months later, the Three Lions failed to qualify for Euro 2008. The bunting came down. Grown men wept with despair. Everyone said FFT may have misjudged the quality of English footballers in a global context. Smart-arses.
And yes, perhaps it was a wake-up call for us as well as England – indeed, in the following year’s Top 100 list their number dropped from 13 to eight. But it also showed the extent to which the Golden Generation failed, because while we may have got a little carried away by counting Gary Neville and MLS-era David Beckham among the sport’s elite, there’s no doubt that even those abroad saw, to steal Jamie Redknapp’s schtick, “your Gerrards, your Lampards, your Rooneys” as genuinely world-class players.
Today, our Top 100 features four English players, all in the bottom half. In a weighted list, with 100 points being given to No.1 and one point to No.100, with every equivalent in between (we’re a riot at parties), England rank as low as 12th – and this is purely measuring players’ talent, not how it’s used in a national team. Last year, England scored 99 points while Spain got 895. It’s a gulf.
On the plus side for England, the likes of Dele Alli and Raheem Sterling have their best years ahead of them. And at least they’re not the Dutch. Look at those losers!
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England’s Euro 2016 debacle doesn’t come into it, either. International tournaments don’t dictate our Top 100, although they may impact on some players’ positions. Look at France. This year’s list includes 14 Frenchmen. That’s the largest ever representation from any one nation that isn’t Spain, who won so hard at football a few years ago that they twice had 21 players in our Top 100. Of those 14 Frenchmen, how many do you think were in the finalists’ Euro 2016 squad – all of them, right? Nope. Seven.
England’s drop-off over the past decade of Top 100 compilations isn’t a reflection of their failure at tournaments. It’s more the other way around.
“Davide Santon is heading for a long, distinguished career”
Intermission! We’ll return to analysing trends in a moment. First, a quick quiz. In happier times – namely 2007 and 2008 – the now-Football League trio of Newcastle, Blackburn and Portsmouth each had a player in our Top 100 lists. Can you name those three players? Answer after the picture.
Did you get all three? The answers: Michael Owen, Roque Santa Cruz and Lassana Diarra. Well, quite.
Not all of our entries have stood the test of time. The FFT100 isn’t meant to predict the future – it names the best footballers in the world at that time – but we cringe whenever we re-read our 2009 prediction that “Davide Santon is heading for a long, distinguished career”. Wilson Palacios was six places higher at No.93 that year, while at No.37 we compared rising star Yoann Gourcuff to Zinedine Zidane and said, “He should be knocking on the door of the top 10 next time around.” These players were actually good then, and hindsight is 20/20, but still. Argh.
Similarly, our 2007 claim that Inter’s David Suazo “is expected to be one of the sensations of Serie A” looks misjudged now, while this statement from 2010 may raise eyebrows in north London: “The tall, hard-working and skilful Marouane Chamakh has thundered out of the blocks at Arsenal, belting in goals for fun against Premier League opposition.”
All right, you can stop laughing now. Just remember that our 2007 list also included a teenage Aguero, a 20-year-old Samir Nasri and the 21-year-old pair of David Silva and Sergio Ramos well before they approached their peak, while Lionel Messi was in our Top 5 as young as 20. Later FFT100 countdowns featured under-21 prodigies Karim Benzema (then of Lyon), Eden Hazard (Lille), Neymar (Santos) and James Rodriguez (Porto).
The two teenagers in this year’s list, Ousmane Dembele and Renato Sanches, have been snapped up by big clubs already: Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich. Which brings us to our next point…
The Premier League: Europe’s last perfect competition?
Fewer clubs are represented in the Top 100 these days. This year it’s 24; in 2012, it was 32. And the chief reason is that the biggest clubs are buying talent at a younger age, so starlets such as Dembele and Sanches aren’t representing Rennes or Benfica on the list.
Sometimes these breakthrough players aren’t on the list at all, because across the calendar year, their big summer move has temporarily meant less game time. Had 22-year-old Vincent Janssen stayed in the Eredivisie after his incredible first top-flight season, he might not have dropped out of our considerations after an inevitably sluggish start in a far tougher division with Spurs. Long term, of course, it’s the right move for Janssen; as far as our Top 100 is concerned, however, there’s only room for those who immediately make an impact at that higher level, such as Samuel Umtiti at Barcelona or Raphael Guerreiro at Dortmund.
So, there’s a narrower spread of talent abroad. Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico are the only La Liga teams represented in this year’s list (Villarreal’s Mario Gaspar just missed out). Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund are responsible for 20 of the Bundesliga’s 22 players, although Bayer Leverkusen are also present and Wolfsburg, Cologne and Borussia Monchengladbach all had players on our longlist. Even in the Eredivisie, Ajax’s Hakim Ziyech was taken from Twente this summer.
It isn’t just youngsters, either. Juventus, like Bayern before them, are not merely buying top players, but their rivals’ top players – hence Juve’s new highest Top 100 ranking, with Miralem Pjanic and Gonzalo Higuain joining a core of defensive Italian mainstays.
The Premier League is the exception, because of its lucrative new TV deal. If the opposite of a monopoly is perfect competition, the Premier League might be the closest to it. As a flurry of new contracts for Tottenham and Leicester players showed, smaller English clubs are less subservient to the lairds of the league. And so, the FFT Top 100 includes players from nine Premier League teams – more than La Liga, the Bundesliga and Ligue 1 combined.
That doesn’t mean the division dominates our Top 100, though, as shown by these weighted rankings of the leagues (again, assuming 100 points for the player at No. 1 and so on down to one point for No.100).
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Spreading the love
The Premier League has fewer players at the top now, but they’re more evenly spread.Chelsea had 13 players in our first list. Now it’s four – the same as Spurs, who once had only Dimitar Berbatov to their name. That’s a meritocracy, folks.
In contrast to Bayern’s 15-strong contingent – a new record high – no Premier League club has more than five. Meanwhile, Bayern, Barcelona and Real Madrid are stronger, while Milan’s giants are in the toilet.
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So what do we learn? That the Premier League spreads its talent and wealth further across the division. That Les Bleus are going places and the Oranje are not. That England are a bit crap.
Or maybe we just learned that trying to identify the world’s 100 best footballers opens you up to mockery. Wilson Palacios, for God’s sake...
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featureFri, 02 Dec 2016 09:40:16 +0000Greg Lea655164 at http://www.fourfourtwo.com"Are they still here?!" The Premier League squad fillersSome top-flight sides dont even bother bulking up their 25-man squads, but theres still room for some unnecessary cast-offs as Ben Fuller and Jack Gordon-Brown reveal...http://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/are-they-still-here-premier-league-squad-fillers
Since the 2010/11 campaign, Premier League clubs have been required to name at least eight homegrown players in their squad lists. Inevitably, that means a lot of deadwood isn't cleared quite so hastily as once before – but it's not just the quota-fillers who are hanging around in club suits on matchday. Presenting an almost-unused XI of box-fresh, as-new footballers-in-theory...
Goalkeeper: Kelvin Davis (Southampton)
At 38, Davis hasn't got too many playing days left. And with Ronald Koeman’s men boasting the best defensive record in the Premier League so far this season, any changes to an already-winning formula look unlikely. The Bedford-born stopper currently waits behind Paulo Gazzaniga and £10 million new boy Fraser Forster, who has helped bolster a rarely-changing defensive unit. Davis has made only eight appearances since the start of last season – though he's still hung onto his No.1 shirt (if not position) and status as current club captain. Applause too to Richard Wright, still hanging about at Manchester City.
Homegrown?Yes
Right-back: Dwight Tiendalli (Swansea)
He arrived in South Wales two summers ago with a reasonable CV – a former Eredivisie champion and Dutch under-21 international – but the Suriname-born full-back has since struggled to nail down a consistent starting spot under any of the Swans' recent managers. Having featured just twice this season under Garry Monk (both from the bench), and with Angel Rangel and Neil Taylor first-team regulars, the 29-year-old may be regretting the three-year deal he signed just last year. Honourable mention: Danny Simpson at Leicester City. Exactly.
Homegrown?No
Centre-back: Jores Okore (Aston Villa)
After a nightmare start to his Premier League career when he ruptured his ACL after just three league appearances, the Ivorian-born Denmark international was said to be ready for a "fresh start" after missing the whole of last season. However, he now finds himself arguably fifth-choice behind Ron Vlaar, Philippe Senderos, Ciaran Clark and Nathan Baker. Yet to spend a Premier League minute on the pitch this season, Okore will be hoping to get a chance as Villa approach a hectic Christmas schedule.
Homegrown?No
Centre-back: Dedryck Boyata (Manchester City)
Despite being apparently comfortable playing anywhere across the defence, Dedryck Boyata has never really played regular first-team football. The closest he came was in 2011/12 on season-long loan at Bolton, when he twice appeared in four successive Premier League games (total points haul: three); he also had a year at Twente (total playing time: three hours and seven mins). Now in his fourth season at City, he's one of those that gets wheeled out for cup games – his only appearances this season have come in the Community Shield and the League Cup mauling of Sheffield Wednesday. But the Brussels-born back, now 23, has been at City since 2006 – meaning he qualifies as homegrown. With the likes of Micah Richards and Jack Rodwell gone, the only returning member fromlast season’s forgotten XIis quite literally making up the numbers. And he signed a new two-year contract in the summer...
Homegrown?Yes
Left-back: Zeki Fryers (Crystal Palace)
A product of the Manchester United youth academy, Fryers has had a stop-start career to date. Leaving United for Standard Liege in Belgium, he returned to England with Tottenham for around £3m in 2013 (much to Fergie's fury). The youngster threatened to make an impact at White Hart Lane last season, appearing 16 times across all competitions, but became Neil Warnock’s second signing at Palace (again, for around £3m) after Mauricio Pochettino signed Ben Davies from Swansea. Nevertheless, having represented England at various youth levels and once tipped for big things, it’s perhaps fair to suggest Fryers hasn’t fulfilled his potential yet – he's only made one Premier League appearance this season. It lasted three minutes.
Homegrown?Yes
Centre midfield: Wilson Palacios (Stoke)
All seemed well when Palacios signed for Tony Pulis’s Stoke in a £6m August 2011 deal, after Premier League success at Wigan and Tottenham. But the Honduran didn't impress the Welshman, starting life in the Potteries by getting his car confiscated the following month; he made just four substitute appearances in the 2012/2013 season and was named Premier League Player of the Year, but only by FourFourTwo's resident satirists Back of the Net. Things improved during Mark Hughes’ first season, but this campaign he has once again found himself out of the reckoning and without a league appearance. Reports suggest the Potters will be furiously attempting to offload him and his £35k-per-week wage packet for nothing in January.
Homegrown? No
Right-wing: Shaun Wright-Phillips (QPR)
Wright-Phillips’ cushy situation at QPR was perhaps best summed up by Harry Redknapp recently, when the R's boss revealed that the former Manchester City and Chelsea man had turned down the opportunity to go out on loan. The 33-year-old joined QPR in 2011, reportedly on £60,000 per week, but has scored just one league goal for the club –a winner at Stamford Bridge two seasons ago. So far in 2014, he has made three senior appearances totalling just 136 minutes, with his only started being ignominiously truncated in League Cup defeat at Burton. Wright-Phillips was once a bona fide Premier League star, but ageing and with no league appearances this season, he's now firmly cast aside into west London wilderness.
Homegrown? Yes
Attacking midfield: Jimmy Kebe (Crystal Palace)
Kebe was a key member of the Reading side that was promoted to the Premier League in 2012, and he did alright in the top flight with five goals in 18 appearances before injury cut his season short. It was enough for Ian Holloway to take a chance on him with newly-promoted Crystal Palace, but after six appearances it soon became clear that the former Mali international wasn't going to be a big part of the Eagles' safety bid: Tony Pulis loaned him to Leeds for six months. Kebe returned to Selhurst Park this season and hasn't gone on loan – yet – but is in a long queue behind Wilfried Zaha, Jason Puncheon, Yannick Bolasie and even Jerome Thomas, who deserves a special mention in a feature like this.
Homegrown? No
Left-wing: Scott Sinclair (Manchester City)
After Scott Sinclair's six loan moves in four seasons "at" Chelsea, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the flying winger had put his nomadic tendencies to bed when he joined Swansea permanently in 2010. Sinclair proved such an excellent acquisition for the newly-promoted Welshmen, so good in fact that Manchester City came calling in summer 2012. After his experiences at Chelsea, Sinclair may have been wiser to stay in the Swans' smaller pond. Halfway through his four-year City contract, he has played 11 league games for them, of which just two were starts, and has barely featured at all this season: five minutes in the Community Shield and 17 in that League Cup cakewalk against Sheffield Wednesday. As with Boyata, his most valuable asset to City may be his homegrown background.
Homegrown? Yes
Centre-forward: Danny Graham (Sunderland)
Another man who has lived to regret leaving Swansea. The Middlesbrough youth product made the jump to the Premier League in 2011, netting 12 goals in his first season. The following January he joined Sunderland for £5m, but the self-confessed Newcastle fan failed to make any sort of impact on Wearside, and didn't net in his 13 appearances that season before being bombed out to Hull the following campaign (where he scored once in 18 games). Gus Poyet admitted Graham was unlikely to regain a starting place this season, although he did appear in the League Cup – for the last two minutes of a defeat to Stoke.
Homegrown? Yes
Centre-forward: Andy Johnson (Crystal Palace)
Johnson’s sole season in the Premier League for Palace was a huge success, finishing with 21 goals (including 11 penalties) to make him the campaign's highest-scoring Englishman. But a decade later, it was perhaps with more emotion than reason that the Eagles re-signed the 33-year-old after two injury-ravaged seasons at QPR. Johnson has yet to feature for Palace this time around in the top flight, or even be named in a Premier League squad, making you ponder why they bothered. Fellow summer signing Kevin Doyle, meanwhile, has played 33 league minutes.
Homegrown? Yes
featureWed, 12 Nov 2014 13:30:00 +0000Joe Brewin285298 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comHughes unaware of Palacios interestStoke City manager Mark Hughes has denied any knowledge of reports linking Wilson Palacios with a move to Aston Villa.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/hughes-unaware-palacios-interest
The Honduras midfielder, who saw a transfer to Qatar Sports Club fall through due to a failed medical earlier in the close-season, has found opportunities limited since Hughes took the Britannia Stadium reins last year.
And, while conceding Palacios may need to move on to find more playing time, Hughes said he was unaware of any renewed interest in the player.
"I'm not aware of that interest," he said. "He had an opportunity to go to Qatar which would have been good for him but that fell through.
"We like him as a person and a player but sometimes it's right to move on.
"Interest from other Premier League clubs is not something I'm aware of."
Another player who could be on their way out of Stoke is Ryan Shotton, with Derby County being linked with a loan move for 25-year-old.
And Hughes would back a temporary switchto the Championship club.
"If it works for both parties," he added."Ryan needs to be at a club where he gets more opportunities, it's fair to say he hasn't had that since I've been here.
"He hasn't been able to force his way in and, for his career to start going in the right direction rather than being in a state of limbo, it's probably better he moves on.
"If it is Derby, I would encourage that as they are bidding for a place in the Premier League."
Stoke face Hull City in the Premier League on Sunday.
news_articleFri, 22 Aug 2014 15:27:33 +0000Anonymous236604 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comPalacios' Qatar move falls throughWilson Palacios proposed move to Qatar Sports Club has fallen through after the Stoke City midfielder failed a medical.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/palacios-qatar-move-falls-through
The Qatar club had revealed last Friday that Ecuador international Palacios had arrived in Doha to finalise the deal to take him to the Middle East.
They have now revealed that Palacios will not put pen to paper on a contract due to a failed medical.
The Qatar Stars League club tweeted: "Qatar Sports Club overlooked to signwith Honduras national team player "Wilson Palacios" because he didn't pass the medical examination."
Palacios joined Stoke from Tottenham almost three years ago, but has been hampered by injuries and appears to be surplus to requirements under Mark Hughes.
The 29-year-old made only 16 Premier League appearances for theclub last season.
news_articleMon, 21 Jul 2014 08:49:30 +0000Anonymous215969 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comHonduras have nothing to lose, says PalaciosHonduras will throw caution to the wind in going all out for victory in their final Group E fixture with Switzerland, says Wilson Palacios.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/honduras-have-nothing-lose-says-palacios
The Stoke City midfielder was sent off in his side's opening match of the FIFA World Cup, a 3-0 defeat at the hands of group leaders France.
After tangling with Paul Pogba to earn his first booking, Palacios barged into the back of the Juventus man late in the first half to earn his second yellow and give France a penalty, which was tucked away by Karim Benzema for the opening goal.
As a result, Palacios served a one-match suspension, and missed the 2-1 defeat to Ecuador on Friday, which left Honduras' hopes of qualifying hanging by a thread.
Heading into Wednesday's match in Manaus, Honduras need to beat Ottmar Hitzfeld's sideand hope for a France win over Ecuador, as well as a five-goal swing in goal difference.
Palacios is back in contentionfor coach Luis Suarez, and the combative midfielder knows there can only be one approach.
"It will be a game of risk because we have to win," he toldEl Comercio.
"We are left with nothing else but to go get it."
Team-mate Brayan Beckeles added: "There is still a chance and worth taking any risk with the plan that Suarez demands."
news_articleTue, 24 Jun 2014 19:52:40 +0000Anonymous199857 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comPalacios urges Honduras to take calculated risksWilson Palacios has urged Honduras to take calculated risks as they bid to secure an unlikely spot in the FIFA World Cup knockout stages.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/palacios-urges-honduras-take-calculated-risks
Luis Suarez's men haveyet to pick up a point afterlosingtheir opening two Group E matches to France and Ecuador respectively.
However, Honduras still havea slim chance of making the last 16, should they beat Switzerland and Ecuador lose to France.
Honduras also need a significant goal difference swing in their favour, and Palacios is aware he and his team-mates will have to be on the front foot against Ottmar Hitzfeld's side on Wednesday.
"There is a need to take the risk because we (have to) go out to win," he said at a press conference.
"We have to go out and play on the offensive and, of course, takecare of ourselves.
"We are clear that we can win with a good goal difference, but you have to think that we have a tough opponent like Switzerland.
"They want to win, we do not want to lose either, so it will be a very complicated game."
news_articleMon, 23 Jun 2014 15:35:36 +0000Anonymous198998 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comCoates: World Cup stars boosting Stoke's statusChairman Peter Coates believes Stoke Citys FIFA World Cup stars are helping to enhance the clubs global profile.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/coates-world-cup-stars-boosting-stokes-status
A quartet of Stoke players are currently away on international duty at the Brazil showpiece, with Bosnia-Herzegovina goalkeeper Asmir Begovic undoubtedly the most high profile.
Geoff Cameron, Peter Odemwingie and Wilson Palacios are also in South America with the United States, Nigeria and Honduras respectively, although the latter's red-card shame against France has propelled him into the spotlight for the wrong reasons.
Coates is understandably proud that Stoke are represented at the World Cup and feels it can strengthen the image of the Staffordshire club, who, on Wednesday, were handed a Premier League opener against Aston Villa when next season's fixtures were released.
"It can only be good for us to have so many of our players playing in the World Cup, it certainly adds flavour to the whole event," Coates told The Stoke Sentinel.
"I'm delighted for them on a personal level and I am keeping my fingers crossed they all have a good tournament by the end and come back injury free for the new season of course.
"It's certainly more enjoyable watching Nigeria, Bosnia and the like with our players featuring so prominently now.
"And it's bound to help us as a football club to have them representing us, as well as their nations, and so helping to raise our profile in the process."
news_articleThu, 19 Jun 2014 07:38:10 +0000Anonymous196092 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comPalacios hoping Honduras can spring a surpriseWilson Palacios hopes Honduras can provide the surprise package of Group E at the FIFA World Cup.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/palacios-hoping-honduras-can-spring-surprise
The Central Americans are preparing for their third finals appearance, and second in succession, and hope to reach the second round for the first time.
Honduras are alongside 1998 winners and 2006 runners-up France, Switzerland and Ecuador in their pool.
On paper, France appear favourites to top the group with the other three sides set to battle it out for the remaining qualification spot, but Stoke City midfielder Palacios believes their opponents' lack of knowledge of Honduras could work in their favour.
"We know about the other teams in Group E," he said.
"I know all the players in France, Switzerland and Ecuador, but France and Switzerland don't know much about us."
Honduras came in for criticism for their physical approach in their 0-0 friendly draw with England in the build-up to the tournament.
However, France striker Loic Remy insists they will be "ready for physical combat", while midfielder Blaise Matuidi holds no concerns over their opponents' style of play ahead of their fixture on Sunday.
"We are not afraid, for that there is a referee to enforce the law," he said.
news_articleFri, 13 Jun 2014 20:27:52 +0000Anonymous192127 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comHonduras are unknown quantity, says PalaciosWilson Palacios believes Honduras are an unknown quantity capable of surprising France in their FIFA World Cup opener on Sunday.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/honduras-are-unknown-quantity-says-palacios
Honduras were one of just two teams who failed to score a single goal in South Africa four years ago, and come up against Switzerland and Ecuador in addition to France this time around.
And Stoke City midfielder Palacios feels Didier Deschamps' men may be susceptible to underestimating the small Central American nation.
"We have no excuse not to know everything about France, the champions of 1998, with all the videos that (manager) Luis Fernando Suarez has shown us," he is quoted as saying by The Sentinel.
"We know that's the advantage we have. We know they do not know much about us."
Honduras failed to pick up a win in their three pre-tournament friendlies, but Palacios claims his side showed potential in a goalless draw with England.
"We sent out a clear message against England," he added. "We want to qualify for the next round, that's the message.
"We have had a good preparation for Brazil and now we are all motivated and ready to get into the knockout stage."
news_articleThu, 12 Jun 2014 12:34:26 +0000Anonymous191241 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comWilson Palacios named Back Of The Net's Player of the YearGongs given out in BotNs annual awardshttp://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/wilson-palacios-named-back-nets-player-year
Back of the Net is delighted to announce that Stoke City midfielder Wilson Palacios is our Barclays Premier League Player of the Year for 2012/13.
Palacios is a part of the Potters squad that has once again achieved Premier League safety with something to spare, delighting fans and neutrals alike as much for their flair as for their emphasis on playing the game the right way.
Stoke's midfield is widely regarded as the best outside the Champions League places, and Palacios is the jewel in the crown, outshining even such modern-day Maradonas as Glenn Whelan and Dean Whitehead.
The Honduran's aggression, driving energy and passing ability have been conspicuous in each of his four appearances this season, all as substitute. Although Stoke's form has declined over recent months, Palacios can hardly be blamed, given that he hasn't played since November.
"2012/13 has been a vintage campaign in every way," a Back of the Net spokesman commented. "Conscious of our hard-won reputation as the most respected and hardest-hitting voice in football journalism today, we wanted to be absolutely certain we were making the right choice for Player of the Year."
"There were many fine candidates, and we carefully weighed up the merits of the other players on our shortlist, namely Gareth Bale, Robin van Persie, and Mario Balotelli.
"But ultimately none of them has matched what Wilson Palacios has done this year. He could have left in January for slightly smaller wages and regular first-team football, but he chose to stay and fight to win back his place in the team.
"The fact that his fight was unsuccessful is neither here nor there. Wilson is a worthy successor to our previous award-winners Michael Owen (2011) and Lionel Messi (2012)."
The BotN Young Player award was won by Liverpool right-back Martin Kelly, owner of an astonishingly large collection of compromising photographs of international managers, and online football satirists.
Meanwhile, the BotN Blog of the Year award was once again won - by an overwhelming margin - by Back of the Net. Congratulations to all our winners, especially us.
featureMon, 29 Apr 2013 17:33:00 +0000John Foster44023 at http://www.fourfourtwo.com